Dallas Cowboys Blog

Garrett’s message of toughness being heeded by Cowboys

IRVING — Since he began presiding over the team last November, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett has tried to create a culture of toughness.

Last year, he re-instituted full-pad practices during the season and earlier this year he secured the services of Mike Woicik, the no-nonsense strength and conditioning coach who whipped the Cowboys’ Super Bowl teams of the 1990s into shape.

So, Garrett must have been pleased when he witnessed quarterback Tony Romo fight through the pain stemming from a fractured rib and punctured lung, running back Felix Jones soldier on with a dislocated shoulder and Miles Austin play in spite of a nagging hamstring injury in the Cowboys’ 27-24 victory over San Francisco last Sunday.

“It’s a very physical, violent game,” Garrett said Saturday. “Guys have to understand they’re not always going to be 100 percent at their best physically. They’re going to have to play through some nicks and some injuries going into games and some injuries within games and you just have to fight through it. The best teams I have been around have guys who do that. And we certainly saw a lot of that Sunday in San Francisco.”